Stephenson County has been awarded a $24,248 federal grant to help support emergency food and shelter programs in the community.

And while the funding will be a major benefit for local charities, county officials are concerned that the grant amount is dropping each year.

Stephenson County has received the annual grant for at least 10 years now and the grant total was roughly $42,000 in 2009. The funding amount has declined steadily in the past seven years and this year’s award is $2,000 less than the previous year. Officials point to economic factors as the reason for funding cuts.

“It is a worry,” said Marsha Mulligan, executive director of the United Way of Northwest Illinois. “The need is rising every year, so to have the funding go down is disconcerting.”

Still, the annual grant will be a great help to local agencies like the Salvation Army and the Freeport Area Church Cooperative (FACC). Major Charlene Hale, corps officer for the Freeport Salvation Army, said her agency operates several programs that need support. They include a food pantry and a community kitchen, which serves warm meals to low-income residents five days a week.

“This will be such a blessing to us as far as feeding the community,” Hale said of the grant. “It is a big help.”

Federal Grant

The grant comes from a National Board chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It is awarded to counties based primarily on their unemployment rate. Recent data shows that Stephenson County’s rate is 9.1 percent.

Each year, a local board of charity officials determines how the funds are distributed and Stephenson County agencies then apply to receive grants from the total amount. Both the Salvation Army and FACC have received such grants previously.

To qualify, local agencies have to be private voluntary nonprofits or units of government. The funding is intended for agencies that provide served meals, food pantry orders, and rent/mortgage assistance.

Grant applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 at the United Way office, 524 W. Stephenson St. in Freeport. The grants will be awarded after the first of the year.

For more information or to obtain an application, contact the United Way of Northwest Illinois at (815) 232-5184.